Insulated Vinyl Siding Outperforms Fiber Cement in New Study
Recent studies sponsored by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) demonstrate that insulated vinyl siding contributes to savings in energy consumption, energy costs and CO2 emissions.
The studies were conducted by Newport Ventures as part of NYSERDA’s High Performance Residential Development Challenge and included analyses on homes in Burnt Hills and Saratoga Springs, NY.
In Burnt Hills, researchers performed a side-by-side field test comparing insulated vinyl siding against fiber cement. The test was conducted during the winter on the two-story colonial built by Stewart Construction. Thermal imaging comparison clearly showed there was less heat loss with the insulated vinyl siding.
In addition to the side-by-side field test, researchers used REM/Rate, the whole building energy simulation tool, to evaluate relative performance. The analysis found that, on average, specification of insulated vinyl siding over fiber cement would provide expected annual savings of $56 in natural gas and electric utility costs, 448 pounds of CO2 and 3.2 million Btu.
In Saratoga Springs, insulated vinyl siding was used on the single-story home built by Belmonte Builders, which was the first home in New York’s capital region to achieve a Gold Rating under the U.S. Green Building Conference’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certification. Insulated vinyl siding can help achieve up to three points under LEED for Homes and up to 205 points under the ICC 700-2008 National Green Building Standard™ when combined with other environmentally preferable products.
The home in Saratoga Springs also confirmed that environmental performance and curb appeal can go hand in hand. During an open house showcase, a survey revealed that 68 percent of visitors found the insulated vinyl siding to be “very attractive” while 95 percent agreed that its visual appeal was “better than average.”
For more information on The Vinyl Siding Institute, NYSERDA, or Newport Ventures, go to: www.vinylsiding.org, www.nyserda.org, and www.newportventures.net.
The Vinyl Institute represents the leading manufacturers involved in the production of PVC/vinyl resin in the United States, and promotes the value of PVC/vinyl products to society.
For more information on The Vinyl Institute, contact:
Jeffrey B. Palmer
Director of Marketing & Communications
The Vinyl Institute
571-970-3327
jpalmer@vinylinfo.org
Also go to: www.vinylindesign.com, www.vinylinfo.org, and www.achievegreen.net.